The world’s 1.2 billion Catholics have a new leader. His name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, but he will be known henceforth as Pope Francis I.
Bergoglio, the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a member of the largest Catholic order, the Jesuits, is the first pope from the new world. Born in Argentina to parents of Italian descent, he represents a bridge between the Church’s European roots and its future, which lies, according to many, in Latin America, Asia and Africa.
Bergoglio’s chosen name, Francis, is taken from the patron saint of Italy, Saint Francis of Assissi.
After just a day and a half of voting, the 115 cardinal electors locked inside the ornate Sistine Chapel sent a cloud of white smoke up a chimney and into the air over St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, signaling a conclusive vote — at least 77 of them agreed on a man to succeed Pope Benedict XVI.
Thousands of the faithful and the curious huddled underneath umbrellas in a rain-drenched St. Peter’s Square erupted in applause and cheers upon seeing the white plume drift over the Chapel.
Within an hour, Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, the senior cardinal deacon of the Church, stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and announced in Latin the name of the man elected to lead the faith — the 266th pope and the 265th successor to the apostle Peter, for whom the basilica and the square take their name. Catholics believe Jesus Christ himself chose Peter to lead his church on Earth.
CLICK HERE to read story
article courtesy of CBSNews.com
